Sexual Misconduct: Unwanted Sexual Behavior

Examples of Harassment

A professor insists that a student have sex with him/her in exchange for a good grade.

A student sends sexually oriented jokes around on an e-mail list s/he created even when asked to stop.

Explicit sexual pictures are displayed in a professor’s office, on a residence hall door, or on a computer monitor in a public space.

A group of students ‘rates’ another person’s body or sex appeal, or comments about his/her clothing or appearance.

An internship or co-op supervisor engages a student in a discussion about his/her past sexual experiences.

An ex-girlfriend spreads personal stories about her sex life with her former boyfriend to the clear discomfort of the boyfriend.

A sorority requires prospective members to share stories about past sexual experiences as a prerequisite for acceptance into the sorority.

A professor makes derogatory remarks about someone’s sexual identity or draws attention to a student’s sexual orientation to illustrate a point.

KEY POINT: The above behaviors must be unwelcome. ‘Sexual harassment’ concerns the impact of the behavior on the ‘victim,’ not necessarily the intent of the person engaging in the behavior.